Current weather

Kathy Leysath takes gardening seriously. So much so that the Martinez resident has kept a photo journal of her gardens since moving into her home in 2002.

“I photograph plants and trees at different seasons of the year, and once a year I make my husband pose in front of trees and shrubs that we have planted since we moved in,” she said in an e-mail. “Using him as a point of reference helps us keep track of how tall the trees have gotten.”

I knew this day would come: the day that I would write my last column. Over the years, I have been encouraged by the many comments have received. I would like to thank my readers for their suggestions and feedback.

When I started this column in 2007, the majority of my writing focused on some basic practices that needed to be done to have success with plants. So, I am going to leave you with these six practices.

Educator LeAnne Byrd hopes her new venture will give youngsters a hand up in academics.

As the owner of Heart to Home Learning Inc., Byrd will offer tutoring services to homeschooled and public school students. She also plans to help at-risk and troubled youngsters who have been kicked out of school.

Authorities were looking Monday for the person they say rigged a man’s shotgun to shoot him when he came home Sunday.

Keith Eric Lyons, 43, of Harlem, called 911 just before 8 p.m. after being shot in the head by his own gun in what appeared to be a booby trap.

Lyons, who was out of state for a week, opened the back door to his South Hicks Street home and was shot by his .20-gauge shotgun. It had been mounted to the kitchen counter top, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office incident report.